Watching the Academy Awards with friends is always more fun than a viewing party for one, whether you’re a film buff who saw all the Best Picture contenders on opening day or a fashion obsessive already dying over Cate Blanchett’s dress on the red carpet. But the idea of throwing a party on a Sunday night can seem a bit daunting, we know! To help ease the stress, we’ve put together a list of eight entertaining essentials that will make your Oscar party prep as effortless as Eddie Redmayne’s performance in The Danish Girl. Now the only thing you have to worry about is if Leo is finally going to get that Lead Actor win.

acme gold cocktail shaker

1. Acme Party Box Co. Gold Cocktail Shaker ($54): Award your bar cart a gold statue of its own with this chromed-out cocktail shaker. It’ll help you whip up cocktails quickly and chicly — plus, it’ll serve as serious eye candy when you’re not using it.

WW_Brother_WhiteBkg300dpi_copy

2. White Whale Your Older Brother Vodka Mixer ($11): Speaking of cocktails, this vodka mixer is packed with seasonal flavors of fir and citrus. Add ice, vodka and a splash of sparkling lemonade for a drink that’ll keep your guests happily buzzed through even the longest speeches.

Confetti Balloon

3. The Flair Exchange Confetti Filled Balloon ($5): Get that celebratory feeling confetti always gives you — without the messy aftermath — with a bunch of these confetti-filled balloons tied to your bar cart or kitchen chairs. Plus, the black, gold and white color scheme is the perfect complement to the glam Oscar vibe.

organic baking mixes

4. Miss Jones Baking Co. Organic Cake + Brownie Mix ($30): While we’d happily eat potatoes every single day if it meant being stuck on a deserted planet with Matt Damon, we don’t recommend the same spuds for an Oscars party menu. These sweets mixes are yummy, organic and super easy to throw together.

Mosser Glass Cake Plate

5. Mosser Glass 10″ Jade Cake Plate ($55): We love the retro vibe of this cake stand — it’s totally something Brooklyn’s Eilis Lacey would use in her shared New York City kitchen for special occasions. Pile up a plate of brownies or artfully arrange your cupcakes for your table centerpiece.

cheese board

6. Made by Brit + Co Cheese Board Kit by DESIGN*SPONGE ($50): Customize your cheese spread and cheese board with this fun wood-burning DIY kit.

Sweetheartkit

7. The Flair Exchange Tassel Garland Kit ($13): Indulge your flair for the dramatic (these are the Oscars, after all) and outfit your living room with these fun, metallic tassel garlands. Double up strands around the fireplace or in front of the kitchen table for maximum impact.

Got any creative ideas for your Oscar party? Tweet us @BritandCo and let us know!

Megan Parry
Megan Parry is a lifestyle writer living in Philadelphia where she's making generous use of her library card, obsessively reading friends' natal charts, and learning how to differentiate between "dried apricot" and "juicy apricot" notes in wine.